(VICKI laughs but the good mood is shattered as she lets out an ear piercing scream. From behind a frosted glass partition in the black spaceship wall, a
pair of hideous round alien eyes are starting out at them...)

2: INT. THE RILL CENTRE. PASSAGEWAY

(A CHUMBLEY moves along the passageway.)

AIRLOCK

(It reaches the end of the passageway and turns the corner into another.)

Written by
WILLIAM EMMS

3: INT. THE RILL CENTRE. CENTRAL CHAMBER

(The DOCTOR and VICKI turn as they hear the sound of the CHUMBLEY approaching.)

DOCTOR: There's a Chumbley coming! Quickly!

(They both rush toward one of the passageways and pull to a halt as they see it is the one that the CHUMBLEY is moving down.)

VICKI: Oh, Doctor!DOCTOR: Hurry! Quick!

(They turn and flee down another passageway. The CHUMBLEY enters the central chamber. It pauses and then goes down the passageway taken by the DOCTOR and
VICKI.)

4: INT. THE RILL CENTRE. PASSAGEWAY

(The DOCTOR and VICKI hurry along, the sound of pursuing CHUMBLIES not far behind them.)

DOCTOR: Come on!VICKI:(Breathlessly.) Come on, Doctor!

(The DOCTOR sees the exit to the outside.)

DOCTOR:(Breathlessly.) This way out. Come on! We'll make it!

(They reach the entrance. The DOCTOR is a little way ahead of VICKI, who turns to look behind her.)

5: EXT. THE RILL CENTRE

(The DOCTOR emerges and turns back to VICKI. As she is about to exit, a heavy iron grill slams down in front of her. She grips the bars frantically and looks
out.)

(The DOCTOR looks around and sees the mechanism on the wall he examined before.)

DOCTOR: I might be able to sabotage them. Now be patient.

(He moves across to the mechanism and takes out a screwdriver from his pocket. VICKI waits, grasping the bars while looking behind her, expecting the
CHUMBLEY at any minute. The DOCTOR quickly examines the air-converter unit.)

DOCTOR: We know what this machine's for. This is to convert air into ammonia gas.VICKI:(With desperation) Doctor, hurry up!DOCTOR: Yes, now, have patience child.

(He starts to take it apart.)

DOCTOR: When I've finished with...this machine, I'm sure they will release you.VICKI: Never mind about that, release these bars!DOCTOR: No! No! That's the last thing we do. This is the thing that gives them the gas to breathe with.VICKI: You don't know that for certain!DOCTOR: My dear child, the Rills can't go outside. It's a foregone conclusion.

(VICKI turns once more and looks down the passageway.)

6: INT. THE RILL CENTRE. PASSAGEWAY

(Two CHUMBLIES moves along the passageway and reach VICKI. The DOCTOR appears on the other side of the bars and looks in. The CHUMBLIES make signs just as
the one they first met did.)

VICKI:(Fearfully.) Doctor! They...I think they...want me to go with them.DOCTOR: Well, I think you... you'd better do what they want, hmm?VICKI:(Nervously.) But Doctor, that thing in there - that thing looking out of the window, what...DOCTOR: Yes, that was one of the Rills, I suppose.VICKI:(Softly.) Doctor, I'm so scared.DOCTOR: Now, look, you go with them, quickly, but don't cause any trouble. It'll give me time to see if I can help you. I think perhaps I can do
something with that machine, but I must have time! Hmm? Yes?VICKI: All right. Be quick.DOCTOR: All right, don't worry. Goodbye!

(VICKI eyes the CHUMBLEY and moves toward it. The CHUMBLEY backs away. VICKI moves down the passageway followed by the CHUMBLEY. Another CHUMBLEY moves to
meet her, and they nudge her toward the central chamber.)

7: EXT. THE RILL CENTRE

(Having watched her go, the DOCTOR moves away from the bars and resumes work on the air-converter with his screwdriver.)

DOCTOR: Dah!

8: INT. DRAHVIN SPACESHIP

(STEVEN is still in the padded corner. He is lying down, apparently asleep.)

DRAHVIN TWO: Maaga, shall we go?MAAGA: Where?DRAHVIN TWO: To patrol.MAAGA: I see no need.DRAHVIN TWO: To see what the other two are doing.MAAGA: No.DRAHVIN TWO: But, Maaga...MAAGA: Can you hear me?DRAHVIN TWO: We always go out on patrol at this time.MAAGA: Yes, but not now.

(The three DRAHVINS look uneasily at one another.)

MAAGA: Soldier Drahvins, you can't understand anything that's different, can you? You are made unintelligent, and you remain that way for the rest of
your lives.

(MAAGA turns away and sighs, talking almost to herself.)

MAAGA: I told them soldiers were no good for space work. All they can do is kill. But they wouldn't listen. If you are to conquer space, they said,
you will need soldiers. So here I am confronted with danger. I'm the only one able to think!

(She turns back to the others.)

MAAGA: Very well. I am your...commanding officer. I am your controller, am I not?DRAHVIN TWO: Yes, Maaga.MAAGA: And you obey my orders?DRAHVIN TWO: Yes, Maaga.MAAGA: Why?DRAHVIN TWO: Because you are our leader.MAAGA: And?DRAHVIN TWO: You think.MAAGA: And you don't know what that means.

(The DRAHVINS are silent.)

MAAGA: But because I think, I order that there will be no patrol now. We have a prisoner. In order to save him, the other two must help us.

(She looks towards STEVEN.)

DRAHVIN ONE: I do not understand why they would want to help a friend.MAAGA: I know you don't.DRAHVIN ONE: We would not. We would leave him here.MAAGA: Yes... (Laughs.) ...we would. But I have heard of creatures like these. They help one another.DRAHVIN THREE: Why, Maaga?MAAGA: I don't know. I have heard, that on occasions, they even die for one another.

(The DRAHVINS look confused.)

DRAHVIN THREE: Die? For their friends?MAAGA: There are many strange things in the universe.DRAHVIN TWO: I do not understand.MAAGA:(Harshly.) I know you don't. But, despite that, you will obey orders!

(The three DRAHVINS bow their heads submissively. After a pause, MAAGA speaks softly, almost to herself.)

MAAGA: It may be that we shall kill neither the Rills nor these Earth creatures. Not with our own hands, that is. It may be better for us to escape in
the Rills' spaceship and leave them here. (Softly excited.) And then...when we are out in space, we can look back. We will see a vast, white, exploding
planet...and know that they have died with it!DRAHVIN ONE: But we will not see them die.MAAGA:(Softly.) You will not! But I, at least, have enough intelligence to imagine it. The fear...the horror...the shuddering of a planet in its
last moments of life! And then they die. (Sighs.) But that is for later.

(She turns back to the DRAHVINS and issues instructions to them each, in turn.)

MAAGA: Attention! (To DRAHVIN TWO.) You will rest. (To DRAHVIN THREE.) You will guard the prisoner. (To DRAHVIN ONE.) You will go
out and look for the Earth creatures. Open the door.

(DRAHVIN THREE moves round the table, picking up her gun as she does so. She crosses to a chair near STEVEN and sits down, the gun across her lap. DRAHVIN
TWO goes into the inner room whilst ONE goes outside. MAAGA goes over and looks down at STEVEN.)

DRAHVIN ONE: He sleeps.MAAGA: But you will not! He must not move!

(MAAGA goes into the inner room. As she does so, STEVEN opens his eyes slightly and squints up at DRAHVIN THREE, who is staring straight ahead.)

9: INT. THE RILL CENTRE. CENTRAL CHAMBER

(A CHUMBLEY backs in followed by VICKI. She searches about her and looks nervously at the place where she saw the watching eyes. The shutter on the door is
closed. Another CHUMBLEY comes out of the passageway. The two CHUMBLIES chatter to themselves for a moment, then, from the CHUMBLEY facing VICKI, comes a
high-pitched sound. VICKI stares at it blankly. It stops, twitters at her once or twice more, then falls silent. The CHUMBLEY behind VICKI nudges her. She puts
up with this for a few moments then angrily reacts.)

VICKI: Oh, stop doing that! What do you want, anyway?

(At once, a series of varying sounds comes from the CHUMBLEY, which resolve into a repeat of VICKI'S question speeded up, then repeated but slower, over and
over again...)

RILL VOICE: What do you want anyway? What do you want anyway? What do you want anyway? What do you want anyway?

(Finally, the statement comes out of the CHUMBLEY at a normal rate in a deep sonorous male voice.)

RILL VOICE: What do you want anyway?

(Then from the CHUMBLEY, as though it has now deciphered VICKI'S words, comes intelligible speech.)

RILL VOICE: We are sorry to separate you from your friend, but it was necessary.

(VICKI is surprised. She jumps as the shutter in front of the glass slides open. The eyes can be seen looking through at her and they are attached to a
tusked creature which is wreathed in smoke. VICKI looks from the window to the CHUMBLEY.)

VICKI:(Fearfully.) Who are you?RILL VOICE: Who are you?VICKI:(Fearfully.) We're, er...we're time travellers. From the planet Earth.RILL VOICE:(Suspiciously.) I see. You were sent here by the Drahvins?VICKI: Yes.RILL VOICE:(Threateningly.) To do us harm?VICKI:(Fearfully.) No! No, you see...the Drahvins are...keeping a friend of ours...prisoner. So, we had to do as they said.RILL VOICE: What was that?VICKI:(Reluctantly.) To capture your spaceship.RILL VOICE: Why do they want to capture it? We have offered to take them with us.VICKI: They didn't tell us that!RILL VOICE: No. They would not. They would rather kill. They hate us.VICKI: Well, you did kill one of them.RILL VOICE:(Shouts.) We kill no one!VICKI: But they...

(VICKI suddenly gathers her courage.)

VICKI: Look, who is talking? Is it...is it this Chumbley, or is it...

(She looks toward the open shutter.)

VICKI: ...someone else?RILL VOICE: You call the machines Chumblies?VICKI: Yes.RILL VOICE: The Chumblies have a speaker in them. They are transmitting our thoughts.VICKI: Your... your thoughts?RILL VOICE: We do not speak like you. We have no vocal chords. We communicate in thought.VICKI: Who are you?RILL VOICE: We are the Rills.VICKI: Why can't I see you?RILL VOICE: It is better that you do not. Not all the dominant species in the universe look like humans. Our appearance might shock you as it shocked the
Drahvins.

10: EXT. THE RILL CENTRE

(The DOCTOR has now removed some of the top plates from the air converter and is peering in. He is hard at work with his screwdriver.)

DOCTOR: Hmm!

11: INT. THE RILL CENTRE. CENTRAL CHAMBER

VICKI:(Firmly.) The Drahvins said that you attacked them.RILL VOICE: That is short of the truth. We were investigating outer space when we encountered a strange ship. Rills do not attack or kill without good
reason, so we stopped our ship. Their ship also stopped. We hung in space facing each other. We could have turned and gone away, but we were afraid that we
would be attacked.VICKI: Yes, what happened?RILL VOICE: For four dawns we hung there. Then we decided to turn. As we were doing so the Drahvins fired. Immediately we did the same, and both ships
crashed. When we escaped from our ship we discovered that we could not breathe the atmosphere here, but we had a small supply of our own, and set out to help
the Drahvins.

(As the RILL speaks through the CHUMBLEY, what happened appears as a flashback through the RILL'S eyes.)

12: EXT. PLANET (FLASHBACK)

(Glimpses of other RILLS can be seen, but none clearly, as they are at the edge of vision. As the RILL looks around, a Drahvin is seen, lying face down on
the ground.)

RILL VOICE:(OOV.) The first one we found was badly injured.

(The RILL moves in on the wounded Drahvin.)

RILL VOICE:(OOV.) We started to help the soldier.

(The RILL looks up - a cold-faced MAAGA is approaching.)

RILL VOICE:(OOV.) Then Maaga, their leader, appeared. She started to shoot at us, so we left.

(MAAGA fires at the RILLS who start to back off.)

RILL VOICE:(OOV.) We could have fought back. Our weapons are superior to theirs. But, we do not kill! The Drahvins do!

(MAAGA aims her gun at the injured Drahvin and fires.)

RILL VOICE:(OOV.) When we looked back, we saw Maaga kill the injured soldier.

13: INT. THE RILL CENTRE. CENTRAL CHAMBER

VICKI: But all the Drahvins believe that you did that!RILL VOICE: We know. That is why they keep attacking us.VICKI: Would you really have taken those people off with you?RILL VOICE: Why not? What do we gain if they die?

(VICKI looks at the Rill through the open shutters.)

RILL VOICE: We will help you rescue your friend.

(VICKI does not respond.)

RILL VOICE: Something is worrying you?VICKI: Yes, I...I wish I could see the whole of you.RILL VOICE: It is better that you don't. Besides, we cannot come out. In order to live we must have ammoniac gas. So we live in here in a compartment
where it is filtered in.VICKI:(Horrified.) You mean you can't breathe oxygen at all?RILL VOICE: No. Our home planet...

(VICKI tries to leave, but the CHUMBLEY blocks her path.)

RILL VOICE: What is it?VICKI:(Desperately.) You must let me out quickly, or you'll all be killed!RILL VOICE:(Horrified.) Killed? By whom?VICKI: By the Doctor - he's trying to wreck your machine for making ammoniac gas!

(The CHUMBLEY moves out of the way and VICKI dashes off.)

14: EXT. THE RILL CENTRE

(The DOCTOR is still working at the air-converter mechanism. It is now partially dismantled.)

15: INT. DRAHVIN SPACESHIP

(STEVEN is still pretending to be asleep, but is squinting at the DRAHVIN that is guarding him, who is herself nodding off to sleep. Slowly, STEVEN eases
himself up into a sitting position. He eases his legs down to the floor. There is a creak. The DRAHVIN reacts slightly but continues to doze. STEVEN slowly
reaches toward the DRAHVIN'S gun. With one movement he snatches the gun, clasps a hand over the DRAHVIN'S mouth, and keeps moving forward so that the DRAHVIN
and the chair she is sitting on topple over backwards. Holding the gun, STEVEN prepares to cover the DRAHVIN, but he realizes that the fall has knocked her
unconscious. He listens. All is silent. He moves toward the lever that opens the door. There is a humming sound and the door begins to slide open. At the same
time, MAAGA enters the main room, gun in hand.)

MAAGA: He's trying to escape!

(STEVEN leaps toward the outer door, but it is closed. He turns back to see MAAGA, by now joined by the other DRAHVINS, approaching. He points his gun at
them.)

STEVEN: Stop!

(They halt. MAAGA comes forward.)

MAAGA: Don't shoot. You can't escape. Give up and we will not harm you.STEVEN: Oh, I'd be a fool to believe that, wouldn't I?

16: INT. DRAHVIN SPACESHIP. AIRLOCK

(He glances to the side and sees two buttons on the wall. While still pointing his gun at the DRAHVINS, he presses one button and the inner door slides shut,
sealing him off from the DRAHVINS. He presses the other button, and the outer door opens. He exits.)

17: EXT. DRAHVIN SPACESHIP

(STEVEN emerges and looks warily about. He is about to move off when he sees a CHUMBLEY approaching. He stares at it, gun at the ready, then looks back at
the spaceship. He makes his decision and heads back into the airlock.)

18: INT. DRAHVIN SPACESHIP. AIRLOCK

(He presses the button to close the outer door, and as it closes behind him, the CHUMBLEY moves in and waits. He turns toward the inner door and, through the
porthole in the door, is startled to see MAAGA standing there, a cruel smile on her face.)

19: EXT. THE RILL CENTRE

(The DOCTOR is reaching into the machine. With a grunt of pleasure he brings out a small metal plate and drops it on the ground. Then he peers in again.
Afterwards, he picks up the screwdriver and poises it over the machine. He soon starts to cough at the smell of ammoniac gas.)

VICKI:(OOV: Inside the Rill centre.) Doctor! No!

(The DOCTOR turns in surprise and sees a desperate VICKI running down the passageway towards him.)

VICKI: Don't do it, Doctor! Doctor!DOCTOR:(Coughing.) Oh! Child!

(The DOCTOR, coughing, moves away from the machine. VICKI and the CHUMBLEY walk out of the passageway as the bars slide up out of sight.)

VICKI:(Breathlessly.) Oh! Oh! I was going to be too late.DOCTOR: Are you sure you're all right, child, hmm? Hmm? Hmm.VICKI: Yes.DOCTOR: Hmm. hmm.VICKI: And the Rills won't harm us. They want to help.RILL VOICE: We were told your friend is in danger.

(The DOCTOR starts back, surprised by the fact that the CHUMBLEY can talk.)

DOCTOR: Er... (Stutters.) ...is that a Rill talking?VICKI: Yes.DOCTOR: Hmm!VICKI: Well, answer him.DOCTOR:(Shouting.) Oh yes, you were told correctly!VICKI:(Smiles.) Doctor, they're not deaf!DOCTOR: Oh, I...I...oh, I'm sorry. I beg your pardon. I...I thought you couldn't hear.RILL VOICE: We are not deaf, you know.DOCTOR:(Embarrassed.) Ah.RILL VOICE: Perhaps you will both come inside.DOCTOR: Ah, yes. It does occurs to me that, er, if we do that we, er, might be trapped, hmm?VICKI: Doctor, if the Rills wanted to harm us, the Chumbley could shoot us now.DOCTOR: Ah, yes. Indeed. Of course, child. Yes, that's quite true, quite true. Yes. Well, lead the way! Ah...er, lead the way. (Laughs.) As it
happens, I'd like to take a look round.

(The CHUMBLEY enters and halts, followed by the DOCTOR and VICKI. The DOCTOR looks around.)

DOCTOR: Oh, yes. This... uh, this drill rigging here. Eh, tell me, what is it you're drilling for, hmm?RILL VOICE: Power. We must have power for launching our spaceship. The suns are too weak to supply this power, therefore, by drilling we may find some in
the ground.DOCTOR: Very well, if you take my advice, you'll get a move on. There's very little time left.RILL VOICE: You know about the explosion of this planet?DOCTOR: Oh, yes! We know more than you. Your timing is wrong. The disintegration of this planet is not fourteen dawns away. It is now less than two
dawns.RILL VOICE:(Agitated.) Two dawns!DOCTOR: Two dawns.RILL VOICE: Then we have no chance of survival!VICKI: But you've repaired your ship.RILL VOICE: Yes, but the only power we find is a gas, and that is of no use to us. We have no means of converting it into the sun-ray power we need.DOCTOR: I think I might be able to supply you with the power you need. Yes, I think I'll help you, since you're so willing to help us.RILL VOICE: We would be deeply grateful.DOCTOR: Hmm!VICKI: You keep saying we. How many of you are there?RILL VOICE: Four.VICKI: That doesn't seem many for manning a spaceship.RILL VOICE: We were twelve. Eight of us died in the crash.DOCTOR: First I will need some metal-cored cable.RILL VOICE: We have some.DOCTOR: Splendid. Splendid. I think I can put into effect the transference of power from my ship to this. Now, first of all, I must...I must have a
conversion. Now is that possible?RILL VOICE: We shall do all that you say, you are our only...

(The CHUMBLEY stops talking and starts chittering. There is the sound of machinery, as though from a control panel in the RILLS' chamber.)

RILL VOICE: Ah.VICKI: What's that?DOCTOR: What's the matter, hmm?RILL VOICE: We have just received a message from a machine.VICKI: A Chumbley?RILL VOICE: It is by the Drahvin spaceship. It reports that a being, not Drahvin, came out of it.VICKI:(To the DOCTOR.) Steven.RILL VOICE: It detected that he was a friend of yours, but before contact could be made, he went back in again.VICKI: He still thinks the Chumblies are dangerous, you see. (To the DOCTOR.) Doctor, let me go and tell him...DOCTOR:(Interrupting.) That won't be necessary, my dear. He's quite capable enough of looking after himself. (To the CHUMBLEY.) Now, the
cable, please, the cable!

22: INT. DRAHVIN SPACESHIP

(MAAGA and the DRAHVIN'S watch STEVEN through a window in the airlock door. MAAGA speaks to him through an intercom.)

MAAGA: Do you hear me, Earthman?

(STEVEN looks at her.)

STEVEN:(Over intercom.) Yes, I hear you.MAAGA: Throw down your gun, and we will set you free.

23: INT. DRAHVIN SPACESHIP. AIRLOCK

(Defiantly STEVEN looks at his gun and grips it tighter.)

MAAGA:(Over intercom.) Very well, but if you try to come through here, you may kill one of us, but we will surely kill you.

(STEVEN turns and looks through the outer door.)

MAAGA:(Over intercom.) Yes, outside a Rills' machine waits to kill also.STEVEN: All right. Then I'll stay here. I may be trapped but you can't harm me.MAAGA:(Over intercom.) You are in the airlock. On the wall there are some dials. They are pressure gauges.

(STEVEN looks toward them.)

STEVEN: So?

24: INT. DRAHVIN SPACESHIP

MAAGA: We can empty the oxygen out of that section, and you will suffocate.

25: INT. DRAHVIN SPACESHIP. AIRLOCK

(Alarmed, STEVEN looks around and moves to touch the button that opens the outer door.)

MAAGA:(Over intercom.) If you touch that, the door will open completely, leaving you at the mercy of the machine.

(The DRAHVINS operate the control and the sound of escaping gas is heard.)

27: INT. DRAHVIN SPACESHIP. AIRLOCK

(STEVEN looks at one of the dials. The needle is flickering and drops very slightly.)

MAAGA:(Over intercom.) Yes, Earthman. The air is already leaving the airlock. You have three choices.STEVEN: Three?MAAGA:(Over intercom.) Stay there and die, go outside and be killed by the machine, or surrender!

(STEVEN looks around desperately. The needle on the dial drops further.)

28: INT. THE RILL CENTRE. CENTRAL CHAMBER

(VICKI is helping the DOCTOR to coil up some cable. The CHUMBLIES are there and the RILL watches from the other side of the shuttered door.)

VICKI: What does that mean?RILL VOICE: The Chumbley has reported that your friend is still in the ship. But he is making noises it cannot understand. It says they sound
like...cries of distress!VICKI: Doctor!DOCTOR: I must go at once!

(He turns to leave.)

RILL VOICE:(Shouts.) You cannot help him alone! We will send two more Chumbley machines with you.DOCTOR: But what can they do?RILL VOICE:(Shouts.) Cut open the ship, if necessary!VICKI: Doctor, come on!DOCTOR: Hmm?RILL VOICE: Go! Quickly! The Chumbley reports that the sounds are weakening!DOCTOR: You stay here, child!VICKI: No, I'm coming with you!DOCTOR: All right! Come, then, come! Come along!

(He points to one of the CHUMBLIES.)

DOCTOR: And you - stay here until you receive a message! Come on! Quickly! Quickly!

(The DOCTOR and VICKI follow the other CHUMBLIES into the passageway.)

29: INT. THE RILL CENTRE. PASSAGEWAY

(The CHUMBLIES, the DOCTOR, and VICKI rush along the corridor.)

DOCTOR: Quick!

30: EXT. THE RILL CENTRE

(The CHUMBLIES exit the centre, followed by the DOCTOR and VICKI. Together they hurry off in the direction of the DRAHVIN spaceship.)

31: EXT. PLANET

(They approach the DRAHVIN'S spaceship. Without warning, DRAHVIN ONE appears. She aims her gun at them.)

DRAHVIN ONE: Halt or I fire! Do not move!DOCTOR: What is wrong?DRAHVIN ONE: Where are you going?DOCTOR: Back to your spaceship, of course.

(DRAHVIN ONE indicates the accompanying CHUMBLIES.)

DRAHVIN ONE: The machines are our enemies. Why do you bring them too?DOCTOR: We're going to help you and Maaga and the rest of them to get to the Rill spaceship. We wish to save lives, not to destroy them.DRAHVIN ONE: Maaga does not trust you! I do not trust you!VICKI: Listen, we have captured these machines. They do anything we tell them now. Watch. (To the CHUMBLIES.) Come forward.

(The CHUMBLIES roll towards her watched by DRAHVIN ONE.)

VICKI: Stop.

(They halt.)

VICKI: Go back.

(They retreat.)

VICKI: Stop.

(The CHUMBLIES do as VICKI commands.)

VICKI: You see?

(Unconvinced, DRAHVIN ONE turns and fires at one of the CHUMBLIES. A horrified VICKI struggles with her and manages to get the gun.)